As the world crumbles with the spread of a pandemic, the business world is experiencing a huge change. As the production and consumption rate declines, the marketing of experience a major downfall. The billboards of the most important city are repurposed to display visual messages of thanks, hope, and public safety. Or they are decorated with a display of public art projects. This is due to the lack of an advertiser’s interest in marketing. And the question ‘Is marketing in pandemic effective?’ still remains unanswered.
What Consumers Wants?
A survey in March 2020 asked the internet users whether brands should keep their advertisement as normal. Every four person in ten respondents from age 16 to 64 agreed. 35% of respondents were neutral while 28% disagreed.
Another survey in 30 countries showed that only 8% of consumers think stopping advertisement is good for brands. 77% of them said that the brand should talk about how it’s helping people in the new everyday life.
The pronged challenge in advertising and marketing right now is striking the right tone and meeting people where they are.
Here are considerations and views on marketing during a pandemic:
- In a poll with the majority of consumers i.e. 48% said the effective ads are the one showing how a company’s services products are used to combat the pandemic spread.
- The other effective ads are those that show how the company’s service and products help to improve customers’ happiness, and comfort during pandemic (46%) and one showing how a business company prioritizes customers’ well-being (45%).
What Previous Experience Says?
The market is always flexible. It has its own high and lows. During the period, the industrial and trade activity are reduced, generally identified by GDP fall.
When the marketing budget is tight, companies should look for low-cost alternatives. this might include personal ads, increasing the use of social media; and store promotions. Act as discounts and offers can be helpful in the situation.
Even if the investment might seem to be useless in the condition, the long-term effect is mention-able. In comparison to those businesses that reduce their expenditures in marketing lose less in profitability in comparison to a business that increases expenses by 10%. So as per the experience from the pasts, cutting advertisements isn’t an ideal case.
Be Careful With The Strategies
Pre-pandemic campaign strategies are no longer appropriate to consumers. They want them to focus on how they are handling the crisis and how consumers can stay safe.
Even when they are careful, the message can go wrong. Some might claim the brand to take advantage of the situation. What the brand shouldn’t do id exploit the pandemic situation to promote the brand. They should avoid humorous tones.
To Sum Up,
Consumers clearly don’t expect the company to abandon advertising completely. Instead, they should rethink their strategies. They should not take advantage of the situation; instead spread a message of hope and togetherness.